Pocketbook lock



y 1941- v s. SEGAL 2,

POCKETBOOK LOCK Filed June 15, 1939 I/ I Y 711111 111111!!! llllll r 9% Patented July 29, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I 2,251,207 POCKETBOOK LOCK Samuel Segal, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application'June 15. 1939, Serial No. 279,359

' 13 Claims.

Thepre's ent invention is directed to locks for pocketbook frames and more particman is" concerned with an improved andservic'eable lock of the character referred to having as oneobject novel swingable means disposed transversely of a' pair of hinged' frames and carrying a slidable latch for cooperation with a fixed keeper sustained by one of the framesi Other objects, advantages, and functional and structural features of the invention willbe readily understood from the teachings. of the following detailed description consid ered'in the light of the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pocketbook showing the locking device according to my invention in a 'closecfor locked relation.

Fig; 2'is a'fragment'ary view of Fig, 1 showing the lock casing in anopenor disconnected'r'ela tiorifromits keeper.

Fig. 3 is aside'elevationalview of the locking device'taken'on'the line 3+3 of Fig. 1'.

Figs'is'" a sectional'view on the'line 4-4 of Fig. 1 illustrating" the shutteror latch of the locking device'interlocked with the'keeper.

Fig. 5 is'a view similar tb'Fig. 4 however illustrating the locking device disconnected to show the slidable latch in an unlocked or free relation with the keeper.

Fig; 5 is a perspective view of the rockable strap.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of Fig; 5.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view illustrating the pivoted casing raised' and disconnected from the keeper' after the latter isfree of the latch.

Fig. '7 is a sectional'view' on the line 1-1 of Fig..3

,Fig. 8 is a sectional" view taken on theline 88 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the lock casing, and

Fig; 10 i's'a' latch 01 shutter,

Illustrative or the embodiment disclosed, the locking device is generally designated [0i and comprises a'c'as ing H; a slidable latch or shutter I2,'and a keeper I3. The casing is 'pivotally disthe rear channeled frame I 4 theupper portion perspective view of' the slidable placeable relative tothe complementary; hinged and channeled frames l4 and I5 which" are of the conventional type well kn'own in the art and j to which is fixedly secured the outside'envelope 16" which may be of leather, cloth or of any suitable materiall More particularly however the pivoted connection for the casing is formed by a folded strap I! providing a loop lfllthrough which is threaded the fiat twisted spring I9 having arcuate ends 20 appropriately retained under tension within 2T of which constitutes a seat for rear part 22 of the lower wall 23 of the'casing. v

The superimposed ends 24 of the strap ll are fixedly secured together and to the rear part 22 of the lower wall of the casing by the spaced rivets 25 having enlarged heads serving to limit slidable and rectilinear displacement of the shutter orlatch [2.

oo 18' of the strap n projects through the opening 26 in the lower wall of the casing and through opening 2! in seat 21 and normally urges'the lower wall of the casing against this seat by the inherent action of the spring l9 which shifts in aidirection towards the keeper I31whe'n the casing is tilted 0r pivoted upwardly and rearwardly, thus automatically this spring is placed'under tension; g i

Rising upwardly from the lower wall 23 of the lock casing and integral' therewith is a hollow nipple shaped member or substantially annular flange or collar 28' which together with the upstanding sides" 29 projecting from the lower wall 23 of the lock casing' support the recti'-' linearly slidable latchflz which is in' the form of a channeled member closely but movably straddling" the upstanding sides 29. It should be observed'tha't the upper w ns; of the casing is provided with depending sides 32' defining with the upstanding sides 29 alined gaps33 in which' the horizontal'upper wall of the latch I2 is slidabl y guided lengthwise of the casing or transverse'ly' of the hinged frames l4 and I 5 The forward-parts of sides 29" and 32 of the casing are integrally merged together as shown and in the assembled relation of the'slidable latch and the lock' casing, the out'side'longitudinal facesof the sides 300i the latch'are substan- I tially flush with longitudinal and outside faces of the sides 32 depending fro'mthe upper wall 3| and theforward part or nose of the"l0'k ca'sing is provided withan'a'rcuate cam surface 35 which flows into'a longitudinally disposed trans versely' curved" channel or groove 36 which merges'with the'curved hollow collar 28 and communicates with the central opening 3T thereof.

Normally the latch I2 is held in'a'retracte'd' position by the'spacedhelieoidal springs 38' in part surrounding the spaced forwardly extending projections or lugs 39' integral with the body of the latch which include's'avertically arranged and rearwardly disposed manipulating portion 40 movably disposed under lip 4|. Suitably fixed pins or posts 55 extending rearwardly from nose 35 of the casing are surrounded by the free ends of the normally expanded springs 38 to guide displacement of the latter.

Where the frames l4 and are held in a closed relation by the locking device comprising the slidable latch l2 and the keeper 13, the latch at this time is retracted as shown in Fig. 4. In such relation, rim portion 43 of the latch l2 adjacent its opening 44 is disposed in the groove 45 defined by the rounded head 48 of the keeper and the lower expanded part of the latter, that is, rim portion 43 is interlocked with the keeper and is held in such interlocked relation by the spaced springs 38, Consequently the lock casing cannot be tilted or pivoted until of course, the latch is slidably shifted towards the front frame !5 for disengagement from the keeper.

In case where it is desired to disengage the locking components I2 and I3 this may be intentionally carried into effect by applying forwardly directed finger pressure to the rear manipulating portion 40 of the latch. Hence the latch is bodily shifted forwardly from its former engaged or interlocked position with the keeper shown in Fig. 4 to its disengaged position from the keeper illustrated in Fig. 5 in which case rim 43 becomes free of annular shoulder of head 46 of the keeper. During such movement springs 38 are compressed since the forward ends thereof abut the inside surface of the cam 35. Forward horizontal movement of the slidable latch I 2 however is limited by reason of stop pins which serve as abutment means for the rear faces of opening 49 in the body of the latch. It is thus apparent that if finger pressure be applied to the rear end or manipulating part of the latch the latter becomes disengaged or unlocked from its keeper at which time opening 44 of the latch will be coaxially disposed in respect to opening 31 defined by collar 28.

When the latch is unlocked from the keeper (Fig. 5), the lock casing may be pivotally or tiltably rearwardly raised from its seat 2| which is in alinement with the cut away portion 53 of the relatively wide cover strip 54 appropriately fixed to the rear frame I4. Such pivotal opening of the lock may be accomplished at a time when one finger of the operator of one hand is first applied in pressural engagement against the manipulating portion 40 to unlock the latch after which another finger or thumb of the same hand is utilized to exert an upwardly directed force to the nose or cam portion 35, thus causing the latch together with collar 28 to be completely clear of the keeper (Fig. 6). During the tilting or pivotal action, loop l8 of the strap I1 is displaced slightly forwardly in opening 21 of the seat 2| of the rear frame l4, thus spring is is flexed forwardly setting up a certain stress there- With the lock casing unlocked from the keeper, and rocked or swung rearwardly, the frames l4 and I5 may now be swung apart or separated. To this end the operator merely applies an outwardly directed thrust to the fixed flap 50. Thereafter the operator removes finger pressure from the manipulator 40 of the latch and from the nose of the latch casing. Hence springs 38 recoil or expand and automatically retract the latch which is limited in such movement because of the front faces 5| of the spaced openings striking the stop posts or pins 25. The locking casing at this time is also caused to pivotally retract due to spring l9 and again rests horizontally on seat U of the rear frame l4 and is now free of the upper brace 52 of the front frame [5. It follows that access may now be had to the interior of the bag or envelope l8.

In the closing of the frames [4 and 15, the lock casing although resting on seat 2|, may be automatically interlocked with the keeper. In this connection it is apparent that as front frame I5 is moved towards the rear frame M, the keeper 13 will first strike nose or cam 35, thus actuating the latter, that is, the casing is automatically tilted rearwardly to permit the head 46 of the keeper to enter groove 36 and slide into openr ing 31 of collar 28 and into the opening 44 of the latch whereby lip 43 is received in the annular groove 45 of the keeper. Thus the latter is interlocked with the latch and the lock casing thereof automatically is pivotally retracted by spring I9 in that the keeper no longer is in the way of the lock casing or the latch to prevent such downward pivotal displacement of the casing. With the lock casing completely pivotally retracted the forward portion thereof rests brace 52 of the front frame and nose portion 35 of the casing projects forwardly to overhang the frames. Thus it will be appreciated that the novel locking device herein specifically disclosed may be readily opened by applying first finger pressure to the manipulating portion 40 after which the lock casing may be readily raised by applying finger pressure to the nose 35, and may be readily closed or interlocked automatically by merely moving one of the frames towards each other.

By the expression retract is meant displacement of the latch in a direction away from the front frame l5. Also such expression means the downward tilting movement of the lock casing containing the slidably guided latch which has its sides 30 straddling the lower part of the casing.

While the invention has been specifically described in detail, it is to be understood thatit is not limited to specific details described but is capable of other adaptations and modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A look for hinged front and rear frames wherein a keeper is mounted on said front frame; said lock comprising a casing disposed transversely of said frames and swingably associated therewith, a normally retracted latch slidably carried by said casing and adapted to disconnectably interengage with said keeper and including a manipulating portion disposed at the rear of said rear frame and adapted upon application of finger pressure thereon to move said latch bodily forwardly to disengage said keeper, and spring means for normally holding said latch retracted.

2. A lock for hinged front and rear frames wherein a keeper is mounted on said front frame; said lock comprising a casing disposed transversely of said frames and swingably connected to said rear frame and including a front cam, a normally retracted latch slidably carried by said casing and adapted to disconnectably interengage with said keeper and including a manipulating portion disposed at the rear of said rear frame and adapted upon application of finger pressure thereon to move said latch bodily forwardly to disengage from said keeper, spring means within said casing for normally holding said latch retracted, said keeper cooperating with said cam on movement of said frames towards each other to tilt said casing upwardly and rearwardly away from said frames, and a spring for resisting tilting of said casing away from said frames.

3. A look for front and rear hinged frames wherein a fixed keeper is mounted on said front frame{ said lock comprising a casing disposed transversely of said frames and ,swingably connected to said rear frame and swingable relative to said front frame, a latch slidably guided by said casing longitudinally of the latter but transversely of said frames and including a manipulating portion disposed at the rear of said rear frame and having a centrally arranged opening for receiving said keeper, and spring means (:0- operating with said latch and casing for normally and bodily urging said latch towards the rear of said casing whereby said keeper disconnectably interlocks with a part of said latch adjacent said opening upon movement of said frames toward each other ,to their closed relation.

4. A lock for front and rear hinged frames wherein a fixed keeper is mounted on said front frame and wherein said frames have alined seats; said lock comprising a casing disposed on said seats and transversely of said frames, a pivoted a connection between the rear portion of said casing and said rear frame, spring means for normally holding said casing against said seats, a latch comprising a plate guided within said casing and depending sides straddlingthe latter and including a rearwardly disposed manipulating portion to bodily shift said plate in a direction forwardly of said rear frame, and a spring for normally holding said latch in a retracted disconnectably interlocked relation with said keeper.

5. A look for front and rear hinged frames wherein a fixed keeper is mounted on said front frame and wherein said frames have alinedseats; said lock comprising a casing disposed transversely of said frames and tiltable relative to said seats, a pivoted connection between the rear portion of said casing and said rear frame, a relatively flat spring confined in the rear frame for holding said casing against said seats, a latch comprising channel shaped means disposed longitudinally of and rectilinearly guided by said casing and including a manipulating portion and an opening, and spring means for normally urging said latch in a direction away from said front frame pursuant to the reception of said keeper in said opening for disconnectably interlocking said keeper with a part of said latch adjacent said opening.

6. A lock for front and rear hinged frames wherein a fixed keeper is mounted on said front frames and wherein said frames have alined seats; said lock comprising a casing dispose transversely of said frames. a pivoted connection between the rear portion of said casing and said rear frame and comprising a spring for normally tiltably holding said casing a ainst said seats, a latch slidably carried by said casing and including a manipulating portion extending beyond said rear frame and including an opening, and spring means within said casing for normally holding said latch in retracted interlocked relation with said keeper, the latter when said frames are separated adapted to tiltably actuate said casing rearwardly of said front frame upon movement of said frames towards each other for the projection of said keeper into said casing and opening to interlock with a part of said latch adjacent said opening.

'7. A look for front and rear hinged frames wherein a fixed keeper is mounted on said front amean h re said am s h v a ne e t said-lock comprising a casing adapted to receive said keeper and disposed transversely of said frames, a pivoted connection between the rear portion ofsaid casing and said rear frame and including aspring for holding said casing against said seats, a latch in part within and in part outside of and slidably straddling a part of said casing and including a manipulating portion for bodily shifting said latch in a direction towards said front frame, spring means for normally urging said latch in a direction away from said front frame for disconnectably interlocking with said keeper, said latch adapted to be shifted bodily forwardly upon "the application of finger pressure .to said manipulating portion to disengage said latch from 'said' keeper .to permit tilting of said casing upwardly and rearwardly to remove said keeper from said casing! 8(A lock for front and rear hinged frames wherein afixe'd keeper is mounted on said front frame and wherein saidframes have alined seats; said lock comprising a casing disposed transversely of said frames and having a collar, a pivoted connection between the rear portion of said casing and said rear frame and including a spring for holding said casing against said seat s',a latch slidably carried by said casing and including a manipulating portion at the rear of said rear frame and including an opening above said collar, and spring means within said casing for normally urging said latch in a direction away from said front frame, said keeper adapted to be received by said collar'and into opening upon shifting said frames-towards each other'whereby said II-atch automatically interlocks with said keeper.

9. A look for front and rear hinged frames wherein a fixed k'ee'peris mounted on said front frame and wherein said frames have alined seats; saidlock comprisinga'casing disposed transversely of said frames and having a substantially annular collar, 2, pivoted connection between the rear portion of said casing and said rear frame and ineluding a spring for tiltably holding said casing against said seats, a latch slidably carried by said casing and including a manipulating portion disposed rearwardly of said rear frame and an opening, spring means for normally urging and moving said latch in a direction towards said rear frame, said keeper adapted to be removably projected in said collar and opening for disconnectably interlocking with said latch to prevent separation of said frames, means to limit bodily displacement of said latch in a direction towards said rear frame after removal of said keeper out of said collar and opening and pursuant to removal of finger pressure on said manipulating portion, and means to limit displacement of said latch in a direction towards said front frame upon application of finger pressure on said manipulating portion.

10. A look adapted to be mounted on a pair of hinged front and rear frames and wherein a fixed keeper is mounted on said front frame, said lock comprising a casing, a latch adapted to interlock with said keeper and slidably guided within said casing and carried thereby and including a manipulator extending outside of said casing and at the rear of said rear frame and adapted to be actuated upon application of finger pressure thereon for shifting said latch bodily in a direction towards the front of said casing, means to limit forward displacement of said latch, spring means for automatically retracting said latch in a direction towards said rear frame upon removal of said finger pressure from said manipulator, means hingedly connecting said casing to said rear frame and comprising a spring confined in the latter for holding said casing at least in part against said frames, said latch having an opening adapted to receive said keeper on the projection of the latter into said casing on the movement of said frames towards each other to automatically interlock with said keeper to prevent separation of said frames.

11. A lock adapted to be mounted on a pair of hinged front and rear frames and wherein a keeper is mounted on said front frame; said lock comprising a casing having a hollow collar and a groove communicating with the bore of said collar, a latch adapted to interlock with said keeper and slidably relative to said casing and carried thereby and including a rearwardly disposed manipulator adapted to be actuated upon the application of finger pressure thereon for shifting said latch in a direction towards the front of said casing to disengage said latch from said keeper, means to limit forward displacement of said latch, spring means for automatically retracting said latch in a direction away from said front frame upon removal of said finger pressure from said manipulator, means hingedly connecting said casing to said rear frame and comprising a spring confined in the latter for holding said casing at least in part against said frames, said latch having an opening adapted to receive said keeper, said casing adapted to be tilted rearwardly on abutting said keeper for the reception of said keeper into said groove and bore prior to the projection of said keeper into said opening for interlocking with said latch.

12. A look adapted to be mounted on a pair of hinged front and rear frames and wherein a keeper is mounted on said front frame; said lock comprising a casing having an interrupted collar and a groove communicating with the bore of said collar and having a forwardly disposed cam portion, a latch slidably guided within said casing and carried thereby and including a rearwardly disposed manipulator adapted upon application of finger pressure thereon to shift said latch in a direction towards said front frame and the front of said casing, stop means to limit forward displacement of said latch, spring means for automatically retracting said latch in a direction away from said frame upon removal of said finger pressure from said manipulator, means hingedly connecting said casing to said rear frame and comprising a spring confined in the latter for holding said casing at least in part against said frames, said latch having an opening adapted to receive said keeper, said cam portion adapted to abut said keeper to tiltably raise said casing rearwardly for relative movable reception of said keeper into said groove and bore and into said opening to disconnectably interlock with said latch.

13. In a look, a hinged casing for cooperation with a keeper, a latch slidably straddling said casing and including a rearwardly disposed manipulating portion extending outside of said casing, spring means for automatically retracting said latch to interlock with said keeper to prevent tiltable rearward displacement of said casing relative to said keeper, said manipulating portion adapted to be actuated to disengage said latch from said keeper to permit tiltable removal of said casing and latch from said keeper, and spring means to swingably retract said casing upon removal of said latch and easing from said keeper.

SAMUEL SEGAL. 

